Alleged sandwich store thief nabbed

A Surrey man has been arrested and charged in connection with a flurry of robberies involving a chain of sandwich stores earlier this year.

Rupinder Jit Sooch, 29, was arrested on Aug. 7 and charged in relation to nine robberies spanning six days in Surrey, Delta and Langley.

From Jan. 31 to Feb. 5, nine robberies were reported at various restaurants in the area, many involving the same sandwich chain.

The suspect was described as a South Asian male, in his late 20s, short, with a thin build.

In all of the robberies, the suspect was armed with a knife and would disguise his appearance with a hooded sweatshirt and cloth covering the lower half of his face before fleeing in a silver four-door vehicle.

After a nine-month investigation, Surrey RCMP’s robbery section arrested Sooch and have received approval for 16 Criminal Code charges.

They include nine counts of robbery and seven counts of disguise with intent.

None of the victims were injured as a result of the robberies.

Sooch has been remanded in custody with his next court appearance set for Aug. 22.

Surrey RCMP are reminding merchants and the public about taking the necessary precautions when facing a robbery threat.

Remain calm in the event of a robbery and cooperate with the robber’s demands, police say. Never assume a robber isn’t armed and try to pay close attention to what they look like and any vehicles they may be associated with. Try to observe the direction of travel of the suspect and call police when they have departed and it is safe to do so.

For more information on how businesses can help minimize the impact of a robbery on their employees and customers, visit the Protect Yourself section of the Surrey RCMP website at http://bit.ly/Xf5gx2